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With the recent emergence of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), more women are strapping up skates today than ever before. Let’s face it guys, these girls are tough and you should steer clear of their path. Furthermore, it always seems like more girls take advantage of the fitness benefits of roller skating. Maybe these observations are skewed since I am a male but they seem accurate nonetheless.

Girls are always skating around the lakes and neighborhood

Women would rather roller skate the dog than walk the dog

In general I believe women are more health conscientious and turn to roller skating more often than men

Women need a quick escape every so often from the chaos in the household

*Further suggestions to why women love to roll are appreciated in the comments below!

If there is one thing that holds true, it’s that girls are fashionable and girls roller skates provide the style, comfort and flash that can be found in high heels and a favorite pair of shoes.

There are hundreds of glamourous pairs of girls roller skates but if you don’t know how to search for them, you’ll never find the perfect pair. Roller Skate Nation has a wide variety of girls roller skates and we created a quick guide to help you find a pair today.

Ask Yourself These 4 Questions To Get Started

Have I ever roller skated before?

Can I imagine myself on the local roller derby team?

Do I want to make a fashion statement on my roller skates?

Am I on a tight budget?

Below are paragraphs related to each question above to help you make the right decision.

The whistle has blown and the 2013 Flat Track Roller Derby Championship has begun (November 8-10) in Milwaukee Wisconsin. If you love roller skating and want to get in on the action, it’s now easier than ever. You can check out the bracket below and even watch a live stream of the of 2013 Roller Derby Championship right from your sofa! If you roller skate and are on the brink of becoming a thrashing and bashing derby gal, this is good opportunity to learn all about the sport in its entirety. And FYI, Roller Skate Nation just launched a brand new website packed with all the roller derby gear you need!

A Brief History of the WFTDA Roller Derby Championship

Hydra: The WFTDA Championship Trophy

Dating back to 2006, the first flat track roller derby championship was called Dust Devlin and held in Tucson, AZ. For every year since then, roller derby teams from around the world battle it out on the flat track for the ultimate Hydra trophy award.

Did you know? The Hydra is named after the first president of the WFTDA and was first awarded to the WFTDA Champion in 2008.

Watch The Roller Derby Championship From Home

Ticket prices to the roller derby championship vary depending on your choice of seats but they range from $23.25 to $110.25(VIP) for those 13 and older. However, there is an alternative to sitting in the bleachers. If you’re not a diehard roller derby fan like those following the London RollerGirls overseas or if you are out of the vicinity of the cheese state, listen up.

For just $20 you can watch the Roller Derby championship from the comfort of your home. You can even take it to a higher level and pay $100 for a watch party viewership plan. This plan is great for roller derby leagues interested in live streaming the event at a bar for fundraising events.

Roller derby is slowly but surely rolling into the spotlight of pop culture and has even gained the attention of ESPNw, the sports network focused on sports played by women.

Roller Skating is no different than any other type of recreational sport. There will always be the best selling items for each sport and this is especially true for roller skates. Everyone has their own opinion about the best roller skates on the market and roller skating appeals to many different types of skaters. In our opinion, we believe the best roller skates are those that are priced at great prices and that are made by the best brands in the industry.

Our algorithm for researching our most popular and low price roller skates is simple; we researched our database to determine which skates we sold the most of at the best prices.

In todays day and age, roller skating has a mass appeal and attracts many different types of skaters and athletes. From speed skating, roller derby, jam skating to artistic skating there are many ways to enjoy the sport. Believe it or not, roller skating dates back to 1760 to the city of London where instrument maker Joseph Merlin attended a masquerade party wearing metal wheeled boots.

From today, that gives us 253 years of roller skating history to dive in and research the coolest and most sought after roller skating collectors items. We know everyone has their own taste when it comes to vintage stuff so we kept one thing in mind when making this list: to bring your attention to a variety of antique, creative and must have items related to roller skating.

It’s time to dust off your shelves and reach for your wallet! These items are a must have for every roller skating enthusiast.

1. Repurposed Roller Skate Truck Multipurpose Center Piece

This would make for an epic trophy for any roller skating competition or roller derby champion. The truck is made from hand with custom parts and it’s up to your imagination for how you use it. Great for holding business cards, condiments and wallets or keys, this fancy truck also makes for an awesome flower vase or candy dish! It is listed on the craft website Etsy for a whopping $875. Too much for your budget? Let’s move forward.

2. Know Down Knits: 30 Projects From The Roller Derby Track

This one is for the derby chicks. The Naptown Roller Girls of Indianapolis put together a creative 134 page book packed full of crafts specifically for derby players. This book contains great ideas to create your own derby costume. That is if you know how to knit*. The books provides a step by step guide for knitting roller derby jersey quilts, tote bags and more. We know derby dames can be hell on wheels and they carry that style with them off the track.

3. Roller Skating Bearing Necklace

You’re probably most familiar with this craft and perhaps already have one yourself. If not, now is the time. This collector item is a great addition to your jewelry box and is an easy project. You can either make one yourself or shop around here for one at the price $20. If you choose the first option, we salute your creativity. Just grab an extra bearing and polish it off. Use your favorite gold/silver chain and loop it through the bearing hole and voila.

4. Yves Saint Laurent Roller Skates

Where high end fashion collides with a do it yourself attitude and high price tag. French fashion designer and creative director of Saint Laurent must of been in need of a serious breakthrough when he placed fancy high top sneakers on some Krytpo Impulse wheels with padded cushioning. They are a budget buster at $895Euros ($1211.56) and were released in June 2013.

5. Vintage Roller Rink Tickets From Chicago Roller Skate Company

Ready to time warp back to the 1900′s for the ultimate roller skating experience? These vintage roller rink tickets are 100% original and individually marked with their own number. They are even made in the USA and are in great condition. Oh, they also ship for free. Grab a pair of these for yourself or to give as a great gift.

Did we miss out on any awesome collector items? Please leave a comment below about what you think is a must have roller skating collector item.

You may think that this high-speed, high-energy sport is a new one to take the nation by storm but the sport of roller derby actually dates back to the early 20s. Publicist Leo Seltzer put a new spin on dance marathon by adding roller skates to the mix. Back then, the rules were simple: 2-person teams would go around a track until they completed 3,000 miles.

The trick was, one member of each team had to be on the track at all times. During the 1935 Transcontinental Roller Derby 25 teams took to the track simultaneously. One by one they were disqualified until there was a winning team.

Seltzer wasn’t done there. After that first derby event he saw the need for a portable track that could be transported easily from one town to another. City after city participated in these marathon skating competitions. As one team would become fatigued, another would pass them, often bumping or colliding in the process.

The crowd’s response to these occurrences gave sports writer Damon Runyon the idea to incorporate the collisions into the sport itself. Initially Seltzer protested but Runyon was right, the personal contact made this a sport that would stand the test of time.

The next time you lap a member of the opposing team, think back to how this exhilarating sport got started and the great strides that have been made since the roaring 20s.

The 411 on Skate Talk

Skate Talk is a blog written by roller skate enthusiasts just like you and powered by RollerSkateNation.com. Our goal is to be the go-to source for everything in the world of roller skating. Enjoy and happy skating!